Is firewood suitable for smoking??

[SmokyMose]

 
Pine for firewood? Good grief, what an excellent way to get a flue fire. 

I thought about saying something about using pine in a fireplace, but I seem to be getting my foot caught in my mouth a lot lately. Glad I wasn't the only one to wonder about it.

We didn't even use it in campfires in the Boy Scouts, but we always had plenty of other stuff.

 

[416bigbore]

 
Pine for firewood? Good grief, what an excellent way to get a flue fire. 

Not trying to 

 or 

, I like to heat with wood and I do burn a fair amount of scrap pine 2x4's and split pine logs. I copied and pasted some helpful info below.
[h1]What Causes a Chimney Fire? [/h1]
When you burn in a wood stove, a byproduct called creosote builds up on the inside of the chimney. If you’re not familiar with what creosote is, here is a great explanation from Hearth.com  

“Creosote is a gummy, foul smelling, corrosive and extremely combustible substance that, if no precautions are taken, will coat the insides of everything it passes through. It is formed when volatile gases given off in the burning process combine and condense on their way out of the chimney…..It can form a hard layer coating the insides of pipes and chimney liners. It can form into a fluffy substance that plugs pipes and breaks off and falls down, filling low spots in piping. It is the cause of most chimney fires and the main reason chimneys and pipes have to be cleaned and inspected periodically.”

I agree pine is not the best wood of choice to be burning, but it also isn't the main cause of a chimney fire either. A Chimney Temp Gauge is a very valuable and inexpensive Tool to have mounted onto your Chimney Flue Pipe. Making sure you keep your chimney temp in the correct Safe Burn Range, will greatly reduce your chances of a chimney fire. 

I personally like to keep my chimney temp in the 400F  range most of the time unless I let the stove completely go out. Then when I fire it back up for the first time after the stove has completely cooled off. I will start out with a fast roaring fire to drive my chimney flue pipe temp up around 700F for a few seconds to burn off any nasty buildup that might be trying to start building up on the inside of my pipe.

I have used this method for over 20 years of heating with wood and lump coal and have yet to have any issues from any Creosote build up. I DO NOT recommend anyone try this unless they are absolutely, 100% sure, their chimney flue is Clean and free of any Creosote first.

Heating with wood is no different than any other type of heating source, it all boils down to regular maintenance of some sort to help prevent from having any unwanted issues.

    

 

 

[c45br]

Here in NY, you cant transport firewood over 50 miles, and you better be able to prove where it was purchased, cut from. Pre package bundles that have been treated are the exception. Ash cannot be moved from county to county, IIRC.

Last yr for the first couple weekends, there was DOT and Encon set up by the campground we seasonal in checking rigs for firewood and proof of purchase.

What did they say when you asked for a search warrant?

 

[birdman080]

They don't need a search warrant.  They are essentially "asking to search your vehicle".  If you don't give permission, they don't give you "permission" to camp at the campsite.

 

[c45br]

 
They don't need a search warrant.  They are essentially "asking to search your vehicle".  If you don't give permission, they don't give you "permission" to camp at the campsite.

I can't find anything in the laws about requiring a search warrant to be a reason for denial into a State park.

 

[mowin]

What did they say when you asked for a search warrant?

If it's visible, no search warrant needed. But if you want to try that angle, let us know how it turned out...Thumbs Up

 

[mowin]

I can't find anything in the laws about requiring a search warrant to be a reason for denial into a State park.

To be clear, these were not state parks. Privet campgrounds. I have heard of some CG in NY not allowing any firewood in. You had to purchase firewood from them. Now that's nothing more than them removing as much money from your pocket as possible.

 

[gr0uch0]

To be clear, these were not state parks. Privet campgrounds. I have heard of some CG in NY not allowing any firewood in. You had to purchase firewood from them. Now that's nothing more than them removing as much money from your pocket as possible.

No, it's really not an attempt to separate you from your money.  If someone were to bring in a load of wood with insects that could wipe out the timber in the owner's campground, the campground loses its appeal, and he's out of business fairly quickly.  He's merely protecting his investment, which he's certainly entitled to do. 

 

[mowin]

No, it's really not an attempt to separate you from your money.  If someone were to bring in a load of wood with insects that could wipe out the timber in the owner's campground, the campground loses its appeal, and he's out of business fairly quickly.  He's merely protecting his investment, which he's certainly entitled to do. 

If the price was compatible to what you can buy it 1/4 mile down the road, I'd say your correct.
But it double the price. So, no it has absolutely nothing to do with keeping the campground pretty.

Plus they state "do to NYS law". BS, law clearly states within 50 miles, unless it's been certified. There's no law saying no outside firewood into campgrounds.

For this reason, I will not visit these CG's. Even tho it's very easy to smuggle in a weekends worth of firewood.

 

[gr0uch0]

His business, his rules, his price.  Like you said, you don't have to go there.

Do you "smuggle" in your own Pepsi to a restaurant because they charge $2.50 and you can get it cheaper at the grocery store next door?

 

[mowin]

I definitely smuggle stuff into a movie theater. :biggrin:

I agree its their place there rules, but dont tell me its because of Ny laws. Its greed. Plain and simple.

I have friends that stay in these CG's. Yes they smuggle in firewood.

 

[gr0uch0]

I definitely smuggle stuff into a movie theater. :biggrin:

I agree its their place there rules, but dont tell me its because of Ny laws. Its greed. Plain and simple.

I have friends that stay in these CG's. Yes they smuggle in firewood.

Stay classy, mowin.

 

[birdman080]

 
I can't find anything in the laws about requiring a search warrant to be a reason for denial into a State park.

I never said a word about it being a state park or in the state law.  However, if it is in the rules of the campground...be it a public or private campground, they have the right to deny you entry if you deny their request to check.

Also, it may very well be in state law about restricting firewood being brought in from other states / areas.  I don't know.

 

[chopsaw]

Just FYI . Check your states conservation site . It is a real problem . 

https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/activities/camping/dont-move-firewood

 

[ron petersen]

I am in need of a lot of firewood and closest I can get is from Menards. These are bundles that are shrink wrapped of mainly Oak with some Ash in it. 

I emailed the company that cuts and bundles these woods.

This is what they said :

We use all hardwood, however, there is some seasonality to the species we get in.  Generally, in warm months it will be primarily oak whereas in winter it is ash.  The wood is all natural and contains no added chemicals, so, it should be good to use in a smoker.The wood is kiln dried for 48 hours and then stored no more than several days before it is packaged.

I am curious to how much moisture is in the wood if kiln dried for 2 days and packaged within a week or so.

I have used this wood in my smoker with no problems, there has been a couple times where it produced a lot of smoke assuming the wood had a lot of moisture.

Is there a fast way to "dry" the wood prior to cooking? Lay it out in open sun spread out? Possible rain.

Thank You for the help

 

[jake0531]

I am in need of a lot of firewood and closest I can get is from Menards. These are bundles that are shrink wrapped of mainly Oak with some Ash in it. 
I emailed the company that cuts and bundles these woods.
This is what they said :

We use all hardwood, however, there is some seasonality to the species we get in.  Generally, in warm months it will be primarily oak whereas in winter it is ash.  The wood is all natural and contains no added chemicals, so, it should be good to use in a smoker.The wood is kiln dried for 48 hours and then stored no more than several days before it is packaged.


I am curious to how much moisture is in the wood if kiln dried for 2 days and packaged within a week or so.

I have used this wood in my smoker with no problems, there has been a couple times where it produced a lot of smoke assuming the wood had a lot of moisture.

Is there a fast way to "dry" the wood prior to cooking? Lay it out in open sun spread out? Possible rain.

Thank You for the help

When I go camping and take my firewood I've had it rain on me the day before or so. I like to think going 70mph down the highway with it in the back dries it out [emoji]128513[/emoji]